On Cook County highways and unincorporated roads, only the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways may paint or authorize curb markings such as red no-parking, yellow loading, or blue accessible zones. Private curb painting is unauthorized and unenforceable, and varies suburb to suburb on local streets.
Curb colors carry legal meaning only when applied or authorized by the road authority. Cook County DOTH controls roughly 600 miles of county highways and arterials, plus signage on unincorporated local streets. Residents and businesses cannot paint their own curbs to claim parking, block driveways, or extend a personal red zone; such markings are not enforceable and may be removed at the property owner's expense. To request a designated zone, applicants petition Cook County DOTH for a parking study, traffic engineering review, and Board action. On suburban-controlled local streets, each municipality enforces its own curb-painting rules under its public works code, not the county.
Painting curbs without authorization, mimicking official no-parking colors, or creating a private parking zone triggers Cook County DOTH abatement, Sheriff citations under the Illinois Vehicle Code for unofficial traffic-control devices, and restitution for repainting and re-signing costs.
See how Des Plaines's curb color rules rules stack up against other locations.
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